FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TX – On August 23^rd, Integral Care hosted a ribbon-cutting and open house event for a new Youth Crisis Respite Program. The program will offer a safe, supportive environment for young people ages 13-17 in Travis County who are facing a crisis or need a break from life’s challenges. This short-term, 24/7 supervised program provides a chance for youth to decompress in a less restrictive setting than psychiatric hospitalization. Stays can range from a few days with an average stay of 5 days, based on individual and family needs. The Integral Care Youth Crisis Respite Program will be the only one of its kind in Travis County.

Speakers at the event included Andy Brown, Travis County Judge, Liz Pearson, Adult and Children’s Mental Health Director at Texas Health & Human Services Commission, Laura Peveto, Division Director, Office of Children Services Travis County Health and Human Services, and Julia Spann, CEO, The SAFE Alliance.

“There was a need for a program to provide an alternative to psychiatric hospitalization for young people,” says Integral Care CEO Jeff Richardson. “The Youth Crisis Respite Program will provide a safe place to go where youth will receive support day and night. The program provides supervision, therapeutic support and skill-building in a home-like atmosphere.”

ABOUT INTEGRAL CARE:

Integral Care improves the lives of adults and children living with mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities in Travis County. Our services include a 24-hour helpline for anyone who needs immediate support, ongoing counseling to improve mental health, drug and alcohol treatment to help with recovery, and housing to regain health and independence. As the Local Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority, Integral Care has pioneered high-quality, community-based care since 1967, collaborating with partners to build a supportive network and combat mental health stigma in Austin.

To learn more about Integral Care, visit our website at: www.integralcare.org

Youth Mental Health Resources

• Youth Mental Health First Aid Training is a 6.5-hour instructor led, interactive training. It is for anyone who works with youth and young adults ages 12-18 and 18-25 who may be in the early stages of a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis. MHFA can save a life, just like CPR can save someone who is having a heart attack.
• AskListenTalk.org provides parents and caregivers resources to support their children – how to spot a mental health issue, how to start the conversation, how to support your own mental health and how to get help throughout Austin and Travis County.
• The Children’s Mental Health Toolkit features articles to help parents and caregivers understand children’s mental health, activities to do together, and other tools and resources. The toolkit also includes articles in Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic and Vietnamese.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Debra Joiner, Director of Communications and Engagement, debra.joiner@integralcare.org

EVENT PHOTOS:

Guests touring the new Youth Crisis Respite Program on August 23, 2024.

Youth Crisis Respite Program Ribbon Cutting from left to right – Horace Edward Calahan and Emmitt W. Hayes, Jr. From the Integral Care Board of Trustees, Travis County Judge Andy Brown, Integral Care CEO Jeff Richardson, Liz Pearson, Adult and Children’s Mental Health Director at Texas Health & Human Services Commission, Laura Peveto, Division Director, Office of Children Services Travis County Health and Human Services, Julia Spann, CEO, The SAFE Alliance, and Hal Katz from the Integral Care Board of Trustees.

Entrance to Integral Care’s new Youth Crisis Respite Program.

One of the rooms that will house youth during their stay at the Youth Crisis Respite Program.